Bonfire Night safety for kids
Updated 31 October 2026 · By Rob and Chris, two Sheffield dads, and our families
RoSPA says the safest place to enjoy fireworks is a professionally organised public display. At home, only adults handle fireworks and no one under five has a sparkler. Bonfire Night 2026 is on Thursday 5 November.
- Sparklers: not for under-fives, gloves on, one at a time
- Burns: 20 minutes under cool running water
- Clothes on fire: stop, drop and roll
- Have ready: a bucket of water, gloves, a torch
What is the Firework Code?
RoSPA’s Firework Code, in short:
- Only adults should handle fireworks. Children watch from a safe distance, with a grown-up.
- Keep fireworks in a closed box and use them one at a time.
- Read the instructions on each one, using a torch if you need to.
- Light at arm’s length with a taper and stand well back.
- Never go back to a firework once it is lit.
- Never put fireworks in pockets or throw them.
- Point rockets well away from people watching.
Are sparklers safe for children?
Not for under-fives: RoSPA says do not give sparklers to children under five. A sparkler can get about 20 times hotter than boiling water. For older children, RoSPA’s rules are:
- Wear gloves and hold the sparkler at arm’s length.
- Light one sparkler at a time, and never run with one.
- Keep it away from faces, clothes and other people.
- Never hold a baby or young child while using a sparkler.
- Put used sparklers in a bucket of cold water straight away. CAPT reminds children that a used sparkler stays hot for a long time.
Our own habit: one grown-up lights, one child at a time holds, and everyone else waits their turn.
How do you keep children safe near a bonfire?
- Build it well away from buildings, trees, fences and sheds.
- Name one adult to look after the fire.
- Never use petrol, paraffin or methylated spirit to light it.
- Keep children and pets away from the bonfire area, tie back long hair and avoid loose clothes.
- CAPT tells children to stand well back, and not throw things in or poke it with sticks.
- Make sure the fire is fully out before you leave it.
What time do fireworks have to stop on Bonfire Night?
GOV.UK says fireworks must not be set off between 11pm and 7am, except on Bonfire Night, when the cut-off is midnight. You must not set off or throw fireworks, including sparklers, in the street or other public places, and you cannot buy adult fireworks if you are under 18.
In Scotland, adult fireworks can only be set off in private places between 6pm and 11pm, or midnight on 5 November, and some areas are firework control zones, where you must not set them off at all.
What do you do if a child gets burned?
- Cool it. The NHS says hold the burn under cool running water for 20 minutes, as soon as you can.
- Take off clothes or jewellery near the burn, but not anything stuck to it.
- Cover it. Lay cling film over the burn, without wrapping it round.
- Do not put on creams, oils or butter, use plasters, or burst blisters.
- Call 999 or go to A&E if the burn is very large or deep, or on the face, genitals or bottom. If you need advice about a burn on a child under 5, call 111.
- Clothes on fire: stop, drop to the ground, cover your face and roll. CAPT suggests practising it with children before the night.
- Something in an eye: RoSPA says do not rub it, do not try to remove it, and get urgent medical help.
What if my child is scared of the bangs?
RoSPA asks everyone to be mindful of people affected by loud noises, including those with sensory sensitivities. In our families, watching from a window with the curtains half shut works well for little ones, and a cosy night in is a perfectly good Bonfire Night. Our Bonfire Night at home guide has ideas.
Our Bonfire Night safety checklist
Tick each one before the first firework. Keep it by the back door.
Or use your browser’s Print. Only this sheet prints.
| Before we start | Done |
|---|---|
| A bucket of water ready | |
| A second bucket of cold water for used sparklers | |
| Gloves for everyone holding a sparkler (5 and over only) | |
| One grown-up in charge of fireworks, one in charge of children | |
| A torch to read the instructions | |
| Fireworks in a closed box, used one at a time | |
| Children know where to stand, and to stay there | |
| We have practised stop, drop and roll | |
| Pets safely indoors, curtains closed (RSPCA advice) | |
| Finished by midnight on 5 November (11pm on other nights) |
Get the Famoo app Family life, sorted together. The family calendar, jobs and lists, shared by everyone at home.
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Questions parents ask
Can a 4 year old hold a sparkler?
No. RoSPA says do not give sparklers to children under five, and never hold a baby or young child while you use one.
What time do fireworks have to stop on Bonfire Night?
GOV.UK says fireworks must not be set off between 11pm and 7am, except on Bonfire Night, when the cut-off is midnight. In Scotland the cut-off on 5 November is also midnight, and adult fireworks can only be used in private places from 6pm.
How long should you cool a firework burn?
The NHS says hold it under cool running water for 20 minutes, then lay cling film over it. Do not use creams, butter or plasters. If you need advice about a burn on a child under 5, call 111. Call 999 or go to A&E for large, deep or face burns.
Is a public display safer than fireworks at home?
Yes. RoSPA says the safest place to enjoy fireworks is a professionally organised public display.
What do you do with used sparklers?
RoSPA says put them straight into a bucket of cold water. CAPT says a used sparkler stays hot for a long time and can burn, so do not let children pick one back up.
More from Famoo
Put the display on the family calendar
In Famoo, the whole family’s week is in one place, so everyone knows which display you are going to and when you are leaving. Each child gets a view that suits their age.
Famoo is a family app for UK homes, in beta, so things may change.
Where this comes from
Each fact on this page links to one of these. Everything else is our own view from our families.
- RoSPA, Firework safety tips, checked 31 October 2026
- Child Accident Prevention Trust, Firework safety for children: lessons for little ones, checked 31 October 2026
- NHS, Burns and scalds, checked 31 October 2026
- GOV.UK, Fireworks: the law, checked 31 October 2026
- Scottish Government, Fireworks: the law, checked 31 October 2026
- RSPCA, Keeping pets safe during fireworks, checked 31 October 2026
